A Long Journey
by MusicsDarkAngel
Summary: When Sarah suddenly disappears her daughter, Celeste, goes on a journey to bring her parents back from the Underground. But that won't happen if the Goblin King has anything to say about it. Will she succeed, or will she remain trapped in the Labyrinth?
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: **I do not own anything from the labyrinth in any way shape or form... though at times I wish i did. The ONLY thing I do own in this story is the OC and husband. Please enjoy this Labyrinth Fanficiton.

**A Long Journey **

**Prologue**

_Why now? After twenty six years, why now? Why have the nightmares just now returned? _

"Sarah, honey, relax," Stephen, my beloved husband, said in an attempt to comfort me. "It was only a dream," he added as I sobbed into his chest. Yes, it had been a dream. But it had been so vivid and realistic. He began to stroke my hair as he waited patiently for me to calm down.

"Stephen…" I murmured, trying to find my voice.

"I know Sarah. It's alright. Nightmares are horrible, but you just need to remember they aren't real. They can't hurt you." His words provided me little comfort, for I knew better. Dreams did mean something; everything meant something. After all this time, I knew that I wouldn't suddenly have a nightmare of that place for no reason at all.

"Sarah, sweetie, you and I both know that goblins don't exist," Stephen added when I didn't reply.

"What?" I began, pulling away from him to stare at him. "What did you say?"

"You were saying something about Goblin City." With a small shake of his head, he turned to the nightstand and picked up a small red leather bound book. "I think this book is getting to your head, dear," he said, handing me the book.

"Where did you find this?" I whispered. This wasn't amusing at all. I hadn't seen this book since… since I had solved the Labyrinth. I had packed it away in a box and it was lost to the dark abyss of my closet. Surely I would have remembered digging it out and taking it with me to college.

"It was that desk of yours downstairs. I read it, and I have to admit it is a rather interesting book. But you really shouldn't take it so seriously." He stared at me with a sad expression. Why did he have to sound like a parent lecturing their child?

"But it's real," I said before I could stop myself. Why hadn't I ever thought to stop and think about what I said before I said it?

He stared me with a blank expression before saying, "Sarah dear, it's just a book. It is not real."

"You don't understand," I said, trying to defend myself. "When I was fifteen, I… I wished away my baby brother. I went to the Labyrinth, and I got him back. But I know for a fact that it is real. All of it." I knew I sounded crazy, but I had to tell him the truth; I had kept it hidden for so long.

"Sarah, that was nothing more than a dream. And I can prove it," he said with an exasperated sigh.

I looked up at him quickly, eyes wide and fearful. "Stephen, don't," I begged. "Please."

"Sarah," he began, ignoring my attempts to stop him. "I wish the goblins would come and take you away, right now."

My heart skipped a beat, and my entire body went cold. I couldn't breathe, and I didn't dare take my eyes off of my husband. I didn't realize that I had been gripping his arm tightly until a moment later. The minutes passed slowly, and with each second my fear seemed to grow until I felt it was going to consume me. Eventually, I began to realize that nothing was happening.

"See, nothing," Stephen added, obviously sensing my relief. He placed his hand softly on my cheek, his black hair dropping slightly into his face as he stared at me with his calm brown eyes.

"Yeah, I guess you're right," I said, finally regaining my breath. A sense of peace washed over me as I cuddled up in his arms. "It was childish of me to believe that the goblins would come and take me away," I added with a laugh.

"I love it when you're childish," he said lovingly. He pulled away from me slightly, only to bring his lips down to mine lightly.

"Good night, Sarah," he whispered as he broke the kiss.

"Good night, Stephen," I said.

He smiled at me before he turned off the lamp. I felt his arms wrap around me as we laid back into the pillows. As I laid in his arms, drifting back to sleep, I could have sworn I heard the soft scuffling of feet against the carpet.


	2. Chapter One

Note: I must thank my Beta, DreamsCyrstal. You have done so much for me and I really appreciate it, Thank You!

**Chapter One**

I pushed open the door to my dorm room and stumbled inside, trying not to drop any of the books I was carrying. I had just gotten back from the library where I had discovered several mythology books that I hadn't checked out yet. I had spent the better part of an hour reading and trying to select which ones I wanted before I decided to just check out the whole section. The library was my favorite part of the campus- it had the largest and best updated section of mythology and fantasy books than any other libraries I had ever seen.

I closed the door with my foot and turned around to place the books carefully on my desk. "I swear Celeste, if you brought home more of those books again, I'm going to burn them," Alice, my roommate and best friend, teased as she walked into the room. She walked over to the giant pile of books and picked up the top on, skimming over the pages quickly.

"There's nothing wrong with books," I protested, grabbing the book out of her hands. "If you would try reading every once and a while, you'd see that."

"And miss out partying? I guess the sayings true; blondes really do have more fun," she said, flipping her hair for better effect.

"Blondes just think they're having fun," I said playfully.

"Don't you say another word," Alice warned, her tone still teasing. "If I hear one more insult about my hair color from you, I'll be forced to take drastic measures."

"Sure," I said, rolling my eyes even though she couldn't see. I picked up the phone, and dialed my parents' number. It had been a while since I'd last called them, and I knew they were probably worrying about me.

Someone picked up, but the voice on the other end wasn't familiar. "Hello, may I please speak with my parents?"

"I'm sorry dear, but I think you have the wrong number. No one at this number has any children," the lady answered.

"This is 574-3256, right?" I asked, trying to remember if I had dialed correctly.

"Yes, that's our number," she replied; I could hear the impatience starting to work its way into her voice.

"But, I just called this number a few days ago," I protested. Surely the lady on the other end was mistaken...

"I'm sorry, but we've had this number for ten years. You may have gotten your numbers mixed up," she replied quickly. Her voice was followed by a soft click as the other line went dead. I stared at the phone in shock for a moment. What was that all about?

"Umm… Celeste," Alice said, sounding a bit worried. "You told me you were an orphan."

"What are you talking about?" I asked, staring at her now.

"You said your parents died when you were five; that they were in a bad car wreck or something like that."

"What are you talking about Alice? I showed you the pictures of my parents last week." Dead? How on Earth could my parents be dead? And since I was five? There was no way; I'd seen them just a few days ago.

"Celeste… I think you need some sleep." She paused a moment before correcting herself. "No better yet, you need to stop reading those books; they are starting to get to your head."

I shook my head, murmuring, "I'll prove to you I have parents." I headed straight for the picture I kept on my nightstand- the one my family took a year back during Christmas. It was a lovely family photo, all of us smiling and laughing. I picked it up and…

They weren't there. I was standing alone in the picture, my parents nowhere in sight.

"Celeste?" I heard Alice call. I ignored her, grabbing my jacket and making for the door. "Where are you going?"

"To find my parents," I called over my shoulder as I headed out the door. Something had happened to my parents, and I was going to find out what.


	3. Chapter Two

Author's Note: I should warn everyone that this is JarethxOC fan fiction; I am a die hard SarahxJareth fan but I figured that it would be a lot more fun to write a JarethxOC instead.

**Chapter Two**

Sitting in my car, I stared in wonder at the house across the street- the house that had been my home since birth. It looked so different now, but the changes might have been considered subtle to someone who hadn't lived there. There was an older couple sitting on the porch, looking content in their rocking chairs. The garden I had planted as a little girl was gone, replaced with solid concrete.

I shook my head, not believing what I saw. This was impossible… No matter how carried away I could get, there was no way that my imagination could get this out of hand. If my parents had died when I was a child, then why could I still remember them so clearly? The way they sounded, the way they acted, it was all so clear in my mind. I had no doubt that they were real, and I knew that they hadn't died in a car crash. Proving it, however, was going to be difficult. Especially when all the evidence was stacked against me.

Tearing my gaze away from the house, I drove off. I needed time to figure this all out, to find them. But for some odd reason, I had the horrible feeling that I didn't have that time. I felt like I was fighting a losing battle, but against what, I had no idea. A part of me worried that if I didn't find them soon, I too may start to forget them. I could never let that happen; I could never let my parents down.

I got back to the college just as the sun was starting to disappear behind the horizon. Instead of digging out my keys, I knocked on the door. Alice opened it a moment later, pulling me inside quickly. I could see the concern in her eyes, and I could tell that she was serious- for once.

"Celeste, what the hell has gotten into you?" she demanded.

"I have to find my parents, Alice. And don't tell me they died," I added before she could speak, "because I know that isn't true."

"Celeste, this is crazy. I went online while you were gone and checked the obituary. They were hit by a large truck on their way home. They didn't survive the crash. I heard that people try to block out painful memories, but to actually create new ones… it's just crazy." I started shaking my head before she had even finished, and she seemed to realize that she wasn't getting through to me.

"Celeste, look. You're my best friend, and you know I only have your best interest in mind. I know it's painful, but you need to remember what happen. You need to accept that your parents aren't coming back."

"Alice," I started, looking away from her. "Please, I need to be alone."

She nodded solemnly before pulling me into a tight hug. "Please don't do something crazy, Celeste," she begged before releasing me. I nodded, and watched her leave the room.

I walked over and sat on the edge of my bed, pulling out my family photo. Well, the one that used to be my family photo. "I wish I knew where you are," I whispered. I sighed heavily and buried my face in my hands. This couldn't be real, could it? Or, was I really just making it all up?

"No," I said, not realizing that I had spoken. I knew they weren't dead. I didn't know how I knew, but I did. I had always trusted my instinct and my heart, and I knew what it was telling me now. My parents were alive, somewhere, and they needed my help. I had to find them.

I wiped away my tears and stood up. I found a hair bow and pulled my hair back into a ponytail. I knew that in order to find my parents, I would have to do some research. Myths, legends, folk tales, anything that involved people disappearing. I was heading towards the computer when something caught my eye. I looked over at my bed, curious as to what it was.

A small red book was resting on my pillow. I walked over to it cautiously. I picked it up, running my hand over its leather cover. The title was written out in two lines. It read, "The Labyrinth." Where had it come from? _Well,_ I thought, _I might as well see what it's about. _

I opened the book and scanned over the first page. I instantly recognized the story- further proof that my mother didn't die when I was five. This book was the same story that my mother had told me so many times as I grew up. This was the story that had interested me the most; goblins, labyrinths, unexpected challenges and riddles, I loved it all.

After checking through the entire book, I found that two phrases had been underlined. The first was the line spoken by the main character, "I wish the goblins would come and take you away, right now." I knew this line by heart- I had wanted so bad to say it to myself for so long. My mother had caught me just before I could finish though. I had never seen her so angry and upset with me. After that, she had made me swear that I would never repeat that line ever again.

The second thing underlined wasn't an entire phrase, but two words. "Goblin King." I knew who he was, but I couldn't understand why these two things had been underlined. Things started to click into place as I remembered the rest of the story. If someone failed to complete the Labyrinth, they lost whomever it was they had wished away. The person, usually a child, was then forgotten by everyone. It would be as if…

I gasped as the truth hit me. It would be as if they had never existed. But my parents couldn't be completely forgotten, because there needed to be an explanation for my existence. Death was certainly one way to erase them. But why, then, did I still remember them? Did the spell not affect me as it should have?

There was only one way to find out.

"I wish that the Goblin King was here, right now." I wasn't sure it if would work, but I had to try. I waited patiently for a few minutes before I realized that nothing was happening. He wasn't coming. Maybe I had been wrong after all.

I looked up from the book and nearly dropped it in shock. I was on my feet the instant I realized I wasn't alone in the room. A man, dressed in all black, was leaning against the window frame. His long silver-blonde hair was long and somewhat wild in the back, but in the front in rested just above his mismatched blue eyes. I couldn't help but stare at him for a moment, not sure if I should scream and start running, or if I should melt into a puddle where I stood.

Realization hit a second later, and when I was finally able to find my voice, I managed to say in a surprisingly calm voice, "I want my parents back."

He stared at me, and I could see the brief flicker of confusion in his eyes. It was gone quickly though, replaced by a cold indifferent mask. "What was that?" his voice was deep and had a touch of elegance that I have never heard in a man's voice before.

"My parents, Sarah and Stephen, I want them back." I couldn't believe how calm and collected my voice sounded. Inside, I was terrified. The Goblin King looked to be several inches taller than me, and I knew that he could probably physically overpower me. And besides, he had magic. That gave him a definite advantage over me.

He tilted his head sideways, and his eyes looked lost in thought for a moment. Then he looked up at me as if for the first time, his eyes traveling up and down my body. It made me slightly uncomfortable, and I felt he was staring a bit longer than necessary. Finally, he asked, "You wish to have them back?" He paused for a moment as he began to approach me.

I fought the urge to back up, not willing to show fear to this man. "I'm afraid that's not possible," he continued, a smirk on his face. I felt the melting feeling resurface as he got closer. Why the hell did he have to be so attractive? It wasn't helping my concentration any. _Focus! _I reminded myself. _He has your parents._ The melting feeling faded again, replaced by my more stubborn and defiant side.

"I want my parents back," I repeated in a calm, clear voice. "I'm willing to do whatever it takes, even if it means solving that labyrinth of yours."

His smile widened as he repeated, "Whatever it takes?" The way he said it made me realize just how open ended I had left that statement. I could feel a slight blush work its way onto my face. At this, his smile widened more. I was about to rephrase when he continued. "And what should I get if you fail?" he asked.

"Umm…" I stammered, unsure. I really hadn't thought this far ahead. What would he want? "How about… me. You would get all three of us." I knew that was a dangerous offer, all things considered. But I felt confident in my own ability to rescue my parents.

He surprised me by laughing. I was glaring at him as he said, "My dear, what makes you think you are so special? What makes you think I need yet another useless mortal in my realm?"

I tried not to let my frustration show, but judging by the smirk on his face, I knew I was failing. A sudden idea came to me and, as I found myself doing a lot recently, I took that idea and ran with it. "Oh, that's too bad. But, I guess I should take that as a compliment. I mean, for the King of the Goblins to think that his labyrinth is no match for me…" I let my voice trail off for a moment before adding, "I'm honored."

It was his turn to glare at me as I clearly took the upper hand in this situation. He started walking again, and I finally got a look at my surroundings. We were no longer in my room; instead, we were standing on top of a desolate hill. I stared out at the maze in front of me. The labyrinth was a lot larger than I had thought it was going to be.

"Worried?" I jumped as his voice rang out from right behind me. He was so close now; I could almost feel him standing right behind me.

"No," I lied. "It doesn't look that hard."

He laughed lightly in my ear as he whispered, "It's harder than it looks." For a moment I couldn't breathe. Deciding it was better to get away from him as quickly as possible, I tried to take a step forward. He, on the other hand, had other plans. I felt his gloved hand around my wrist as he spun me around and pulled me closer to him.

"Hey!" I protested, struggling to break free. But my earlier assumption was correct; he was much, much stronger than me.

"Don't forget," he whispered, "you have only thirteen hours in which to solve my labyrinth. One can only hope you take after your mother if you wish to succeed."

Struggling to get a hold of my thoughts, I managed to ask, "What's that supposed to mean?"

Chuckling lightly, he pulled back but didn't release his hold on my wrist. "Your mother was the only person to ever solve my labyrinth. Your father, on the other hand, wasn't able to even make it halfway through before his time was up."

"Oh," I stated, sounding dumb. "Well," I said quickly, managed to finally break free of his grasp. I took a quick step back and stared defiantly into his eyes. From such a close proximity, I could finally see why one eye appeared darker than the other. One pupil was permanently dilated while the other was normal size.

"I can assure you, Your Highness, I will not only be able to solve your labyrinth, but I shall do so with more time on the clock than my mother did."

He laughed again, more darkly this time. "You say that with so much confidence, yet you've already wasted so much time." He pointed towards a clock that hung seemingly in midair, and I noticed that I had, in fact, wasted time. Not much, but time was precious here.

When I turned back to yell at him for distracting me, he was gone. I glared at the spot where he had been standing for a moment before I remembered I wasn't supposed to waste time. I had vowed to beat this labyrinth quicker than my mother had, and I was going to.

Making a quick mental note to ask my mom why she had to run the labyrinth in the first place, I started down the hill. I could beat this labyrinth, I knew. "It'll be a piece of cake."


	4. Chapter Three

**Chapter Three**

The throne room was filled with the annoying chattering of the goblins as they talked amongst themselves. I sat on my throne, staring absentmindedly up at the ceiling as my boredom grew. I had long ago grown tired to the same day-to-day routine that ran my life. The only variance in my life was the occasion wished away child; that too, I found to my displeasure, was quickly becoming too routine. Only one child had ever changed the cycle- she had managed to beat my labyrinth and win back her baby brother.

It was for this that I had respect for the girl, and it was because of this respect that she was currently sitting in an oubliette under the castle and not running around as a goblin. I had been shocked when Sarah had been wished into my possession. I had been excited, at first. I had thought that Sarah would have married a man who possessed equal or better skills than she. And surely this man would be able to conquer my labyrinth, as his wife had?

Sadly, this was not the case. I quickly grew bored watching the man get hopelessly lost, and I soon lost interest in this matter altogether. I still hadn't figured out what to do with her yet- the idea of turning her into one of the ugly creatures that were constantly getting on my nerves was a ridiculous idea- when the unexpected happened. And that surprise took the form of a young woman who had called upon me.

The thing that first got my attention had been her wish. In all my years, which was much more than any mere mortal could begin to imagine, I had never had someone call directly upon me. Even Sarah had wished for the goblins to do her bidding. But this girl, she had called upon me by my title. And furthermore, she hadn't wished anyone away. She hadn't even wished herself away. No, she had wished for _me_ to come to _her._

"My liege," came a small, yet deep, voice from a few feet away. The sudden call for my attention brought me from my thoughts, focusing my attention on the short goblin that was currently kneeling before my throne. "Pardon the interruption, sir, but do you wish for the lights to be lit?"

My eyes wandered over to the large opening that served as a window. The sun was setting at a fairly quick pace; at this rate, the sun would be down for the majority of the girl's trip through the labyrinth. The only light in the labyrinth at night came from various torches and other forms of artificial light. Should these lights not be lit, the labyrinth would be immersed in complete darkness. Perfect.

"No," I finally said, a wicked smile forming. I summoned a crystal and rolled it around in my palm for a moment before I looked back at the goblin. "Not tonight. Let's see if our little guest can play in the dark, shall we?"

"As, as you wish, sir," the goblin said hesitantly before he quickly scurried from my sight. I didn't blame him for his confusion; I had never before forced a quest to run without some sort of lighting before. Though I never intended for them to win, I usually allowed my runners a fair chance to survive. No one had ever died, yet. That's not to say some haven't come close. And at that point, their own life meant more to them than their child's or their sibling's.

I was curious to see how the girl would handle this newest twist. And, as I was on the topic, I was curious to see her current progress. At this point, her mother had already managed to enter the labyrinth. Her father, of course, was an entirely different story. I honestly hoped that the girl possessed some of her mother's skills; this would be a very boring experience otherwise.

I summoned a crystal and peered into it, watching as the girl came into view. I was surprised at what I saw- the girl had not only ignored the gardener (not the same one Sarah had met; I made sure that this one would not make the mistake of betraying me) but she was now climbing the walls of the labyrinth. This in itself wasn't the most shocking thing. After all, several others before her had thought of the same method, just not as quickly. No, what really caught me off guard was the look in her eyes.

I expected fear. Perhaps amazement. Considering her attitude from earlier, I assumed there would be confidence in those hazel eyes of hers. But pure excitement and enjoyment? That, I had not been expecting. She pulled herself on top of the wall, resting a moment to brush her dark hair out of her face. She glanced down the side of the wall to the floor of the labyrinth. She seemed to debate something for a moment before she stood.

I watched as she began walking slowly down the wall, still on the outer edge. She stopped, scanning the area around her. Then she did something that told me this was going to truly be an interesting time for me. She jumped. Not to the floor, but to the wall across from her. However, she overshot her landing by only an inch, but it was enough. She lost her balance and tumbled down to the ground below. And with that, she had entered the labyrinth.

"Your Highness." I wanted to curse the owner of that voice for dragging me away from the girl.

"What is it?" I snapped as I made the crystal disappear.

"Umm, The Lady is requesting…" he stammered, but stopped as he saw the annoyed look I was glaring at him.

"I do not care what 'The Lady' is requesting," I said spitefully. I hated the respect and admiration the goblins showed to Sarah. Though she had defeated my labyrinth and earned some of my respect, it was outrageous for the goblins to practically worship the girl. Perhaps it was time I reminded them just who their king was.

I rose from my throne and made my way down the oubliette. As I approached the final door, I could hear Sarah demanding to be let out. Her pleas then turned to insults, namely against me. Laughing, I opened the door. I watched with amusement as Sarah fell quiet and her husband took a defensive position in front of her. Fool, if I truly wished to harm her, he would be powerless to stop me.

"How are you enjoying your new home?" I asked, closing the door with a wave of my hand. I leaned against the wall, waiting for their response.

"You are one sick freak," the man, Stephen I believe it was, remarked angrily. "Keeping people locked up in holes underground."

I smirked slightly, trying to contain my pleasure. "You should be grateful; mortals who fail my labyrinth are usually turned to goblins. Or, for the more annoying humans, I find that death is a better punishment." I grinned wickedly as I watched Sarah's face grow a shade paler. "However, given the circumstances, I am afraid I have to wait an additional thirteen hours before I can decide which would better suit you."

"What might those circumstances be?" Sarah asked angrily as she stepped from behind her husband. He put his arm on her shoulder; whether to hold her back or to feel like he was still able to protect her, I didn't care.

"Well, where's the fun in telling you? You're a clever girl, Sarah. I'm sure you can figure it out."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Stephen demanded.

"May I remind you whose subject you are? Continue to talk to me like that, and you will find yourself at the bottom the Bog of Eternal Stench." I watched his face grimace in horror; he knew the terror of the Bog almost too well, having very nearly fallen in himself.

"Please tell us?" Sarah asked quietly.

"Well, if you really must know, I have a new runner in my labyrinth." My smirk grew wider as I watched the confusion on their faces grow.

"Who?" Stephen finally asked.

"Your daughter."

"What?" Sarah half-screamed, half-shrieked. She made as if to lunge at me, but her husband pulled her back.

"How the hell do you know our daughter? And why the hell is she here?" Stephen demanded, rage thickening his words. I laughed again, no longer bothering to hide my amusement.

"Your daughter asked to come here. She is currently fighting for your freedom, as well as her own. She was foolish enough to make the same offer her father had. Although, she made hers for the chance to try for your freedom; it was not as a result of over-confidence."

"You bastard!" Stephen yelled as I turned to open the door.

"Celeste," Sarah cried softly as I pulled the door shut. "My poor girl…"

I walked back to my throne room, more excited than I had been in years. The sun would set soon, and I would get to see the way the girl, Celeste I recalled her mother calling her, handled the dark. Such a pity really, that she wouldn't have any light at all. Even the fiercest of my creatures didn't dare venture out in complete darkness.


End file.
